Dragons are the heart of Fourth Wing. They choose the riders, power the signets, guard the secrets, and often understand the world far better than the humans bonded to them. In this guide, we break down the most important dragons in the Empyrean series — including Tairn, Andarna, Sgaeyl, Codagh, Feirge, Aotrom, and more — with their riders, colors, tail types, powers, bonds, and size explained.
Contents
All Fourth Wing Dragons at a Glance
Here is a quick overview of the major dragons in the Empyrean series, including their riders, colors, and tail types.
| Image | Name | Type | Rider |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Aimsir | Den: Brown; Tail: Unknown | Lilith Sorrengail |
 | Andarnaurram (Andarna) | Den: Irid; Tail: Scorpiontail | Violet Sorrengail |
 | Aotrom | Den: Brown; Tail: Swordtail | Ridoc Gamlyn |
 | Baide | Den: Orange; Tail: Scorpiontail | Jack Barlowe |
| Bruegan | Den: Orange; Tail: Daggertail | Professor Carr | |
 | Cath | Den: Red; Tail: Swordtail | Dain Aetos |
 | Chradh | Den: Brown; Tail: Scorpiontail | Garrick Tavis |
 | Claidh | Den: Orange; Tail: Daggertail | Amber Mavis |
 | Cuir | Den: Green; Tail: Swordtail | Bodhi Durran |
| Cruth | Den: Green; Tail: Scorpiontail | Quinn’s aunt; Quinn | |
 | Codagh | Den: Black; Tail: Swordtail | Augustine Melgren |
| Dagolh | Den: Red; Tail: Clubtail | Aura Beinhaven | |
 | Deigh | Den: Red; Tail: Daggertail | Liam Mairi |
| Fann | Den: Green; Tail: Swordtail | Ulices Ferris | |
 | Feirge | Den: Green; Tail: Daggertail | Rhiannon Matthias |
| Fiaclanfuil | Den: Black; Tail: Unknown | Unknown | |
 | Fuil | Den: Brown; Tail: Clubtail | Soleil Telery |
| Gaothal | Den: Unknown; Tail: Unknown | Cianna | |
 | Glane | Den: Orange; Tail: Daggertail | Imogen Cardulo |
| Gleann | Den: Unknown; Tail: Unknown | Caroline Ashton | |
| Ghrian | Den: Red; Tail: Scorpiontail | Unknown | |
| Greim | Den: Unknown; Tail: Unknown | Unknown | |
| Leothan | Den: Irid; Tail: Feathertail | None | |
| Maise | Den: Unknown; Tail: Unknown | Unknown | |
| Molvic | Den: Blue; Tail: Clubtail | Aaric Greycastle | |
| Malla | Den: Red; Tail: Scorpiontail | Nyra Voldaren | |
| Marbh | Den: Orange; Tail: Daggertail | Brennan Sorrengail | |
| Murtcuideam | Den: Black; Tail: Unknown | Unknown | |
 | Sgaeyl | Den: Blue / Navy; Tail: Daggertail | Xaden Riorson’s grandfather; Xaden Riorson |
| Smachd | Den: Unknown; Tail: Unknown | Professor Kaori | |
| Solas | Den: Orange; Tail: Daggertail | Burton Varrish | |
 | Sliseag | Den: Red; Tail: Swordtail | Sawyer |
 | Tairneanach (Tairn) | Den: Black; Tail: Morningstartail | Naolin; Violet Sorrengail |
 | Teine | Den: Green; Tail: Clubtail | Mira Sorrengail |
| Thareux | Den: Black; Tail: Unknown | Unknown | |
| Thoirt | Den: Red / Strawberry; Tail: Daggertail | Sloane Mairi |
Fourth Wing Dragons Explained
Dragons are the real power behind Fourth Wing. They are not pets, mounts, or magical creatures that simply follow human orders. They are ancient, intelligent beings with their own laws, hierarchy, secrets, and ruling body: the Empyrean.
In Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series, dragons choose their riders during Threshing and bond only when they decide a cadet is worthy. Through that bond, they channel magic to their rider, allowing them to wield lesser magic and eventually manifest a signet. But the bond does not make the dragon obedient. If anything, Fourth Wing makes it clear that humans understand only a fraction of how dragonkind truly works.
Dragons are usually identified by their color and tail type, such as black Morningstartail, blue Daggertail, green Clubtail, or red Swordtail. Their color connects them to a den or ancestral line, while their tail type shapes how dangerous they are in battle. Some dragons are known for intelligence, others for ruthlessness, loyalty, unpredictability, or sheer violence.
What makes the dragons so fascinating is that they are both military power and mystery. They protect the Vale, guard the wards, bond riders, power signets, and know far more about venin, wyvern, Navarre, and the history of the Continent than most humans do. So while Fourth Wing follows Violet Sorrengail’s journey as a rider, the deeper story is also about dragonkind — and what the dragons have chosen to hide.
What Is the Empyrean in Fourth Wing?
The Empyrean is the dragons’ own ruling body in Fourth Wing and the wider Empyrean series. It is not part of Basgiath War College, Navarre’s military, or any human government. It belongs entirely to dragonkind, which is why even bonded riders are not allowed to know everything discussed within it.
That matters because dragons are not simply powerful creatures who serve humans. They have their own hierarchy, laws, secrets, and political decisions. A dragon answers to the eldest of their den and to the Empyrean — not to a rider, a commander, or the humans who think they understand how dragonkind works.
The exact way the Empyrean governs is still mostly unknown. Humans know that dragons give deference to older and more powerful members of their kind, and that dragon elders hold enormous authority. But dragons keep the details of their meetings and laws hidden. During meetings of the Empyrean, dragons do not communicate with their bonded riders because they do not permit humans to know what they say.
Dragon Colors in Fourth Wing
In Fourth Wing, a dragon’s color tells us which den they belong to. The known dragon dens are black, blue, green, red, orange, brown, and irid, with each den carrying its own reputation, ancestral line, traits, and history within dragonkind.
- Black dragons: rare, powerful, strategic, and highly respected.
- Blue dragons: formidable, ruthless, and often physically imposing.
- Green dragons: intelligent, rational, and defensively strong.
- Red dragons: violent, aggressive, and quick-tempered.
- Orange dragons: unpredictable and dangerous.
- Brown dragons: less explored, but often associated with loyalty.
- Irid dragons: hidden, iridescent, peaceful.
Most riders at Basgiath are familiar with the six main dragon colors: black, blue, green, red, orange, and brown. The seventh den, the irids, remains hidden for much of the series, which is why Andarna’s true identity becomes such a major reveal.
The Empyrean considers black dragons, like Tairn and Codagh, the rarest and among the most powerful. They descend from the cunning Dubhmadinn line and show intelligence, strategy, and deadly precision. Blue dragons, like Sgaeyl, stand out for their formidable size and ruthlessness, especially blue Daggertails.
Green dragons often show intellect, rationality, and defensive strength. Red dragons have a reputation for violence and quick tempers, while the Empyrean considers orange dragons the most unpredictable of dragonkind. Brown dragons receive less attention in the series, but riders often associate them with loyalty.
Andarna challenges everything we thought we knew about this system. She first appears as a golden Feathertail, but later revelations connect her to the Irids, the hidden seventh den of iridescent dragons. This suggests that dragonkind has kept far more secrets than humans ever realised.
Dragon Tail Types in Fourth Wing
In Fourth Wing, a dragon’s color tells us their den, while their tail type describes their breed or physical weapon. That is why dragons are usually described with both details together: Tairn is a black Morningstartail, Sgaeyl is a blue Daggertail, and Aotrom is a brown Swordtail.
The known tail types include Morningstartail, Daggertail, Swordtail, Clubtail, Scorpiontail, and Feathertail. Some are built for slicing, some for bludgeoning, and some are especially dangerous because of spikes or poison.
Feathertails are different because they are not adult battle tails. Young dragons are born with feathertails before they mature and develop their adult tail type. That is why Andarna first appears as a golden Feathertail before her true identity becomes much more complicated.
How Big Are the Dragons in Fourth Wing?
The books do not give exact measurements for every dragon, but they give us enough clues to understand the scale. A typical fully grown dragon in Fourth Wing is about 25 feet tall. Some dragons, however, are much bigger than that.
Andarna is the smallest major size reference we get. As a juvenile Feathertail, she is only a few inches taller than Violet, which puts her around 5 to 6 feet tall. By dragon standards, she is tiny — especially compared to the adult dragons around her.
Aotrom, Ridoc’s brown Swordtail, gives us a better idea of an average adult dragon. He is considered a typical fully grown size, around 25 feet tall.
Tairn is where the scale jumps dramatically. He is described as nearly twice Aotrom’s size, which puts him around 50 feet tall. That makes him one of the largest dragons at Basgiath and far bigger than the average adult dragon.
Sgaeyl is also massive, though slightly smaller than Tairn. Based on the size references in the books, she is usually estimated around 40 to 45 feet tall.
Codagh is the largest known dragon. He is described as five inches taller than Tairn, which puts him just over 50 feet tall. So while Tairn is enormous, Codagh is still slightly larger.
So the size range is extreme: Andarna starts out barely taller than Violet, Aotrom represents the average adult dragon, Sgaeyl already towers far above average, and Tairn and Codagh reach almost twice the size of a typical fully grown dragon.
Dragon Bonds, Riders, and Signets Explained
In Fourth Wing, riders do not choose their dragons. Dragons choose their riders. That choice happens during Threshing, when cadets enter the field hoping to be selected — and knowing they may die if they are not.
Once a dragon bonds a rider, the connection changes everything. The rider gains access to lesser magic, can communicate with their dragon mind-to-mind, and eventually develops a signet. But the dragon is still not controlled by the rider. The bond creates power and communication, not ownership.
A signet is the rider’s unique magical ability. It manifests through the dragon bond, but it is shaped by the rider more than the dragon. That is why signets usually reveal something about what the rider needs, who they are, or how they survive. The stronger the dragon and the stronger the bond, the more powerful the signet can be.
Violet’s bond is especially unusual because she bonds two dragons: Tairn and Andarna. Through Tairn, she gains access to an extraordinary amount of power. Through Andarna, her connection to dragonkind becomes even more complicated, especially as the series reveals more about Andarna’s true nature.
The important thing to remember is that a dragon bond is not just a magical upgrade. It ties a rider’s life, power, and future to a being with its own will, secrets, loyalties, and rules. In the Empyrean series, the bond may make someone a rider — but it never makes the dragon less dangerous.
Dragons vs. Wyvern in Fourth Wing
In Fourth Wing, dragons and wyvern may look similar at first, but they are not the same. Dragons have four legs and two wings, while wyvern have two feet, making their bodies physically different from true dragons.
Wyvern are also described in folklore as larger than dragons, with a mane of razor-sharp feathers running down their necks and a taste for humans. Dragons, by contrast, are sentient, bonded beings with their own laws, hierarchy, and ruling body: the Empyrean.
The biggest difference is origin and intelligence. Dragons are living, thinking creatures who choose their riders and channel magic through them. Wyvern are created by venin and controlled through dark magic. So while wyvern may be larger in legend, dragons are far more complex — and far more powerful within the world of the Empyrean.
Dragon Mates: Tairn and Sgaeyl Explained
Tairn and Sgaeyl are mates, which creates one of the strongest dragon bonds in the Empyrean series. Tairn is bonded to Violet Sorrengail, while Sgaeyl is bonded to Xaden Riorson, but their own mating bond connects the two dragons beyond their riders.
Dragon mating bonds are serious. Mated dragons bond for life and cannot be separated for long without their health declining. This is why mated dragons usually choose riders in the same year, so both riders can graduate together and be stationed near each other.
Tairn and Sgaeyl are especially important because they are described as the strongest mated pair in centuries. Their bond forces Violet and Xaden into close proximity and creates a dangerous connection between them before they fully understand each other.
But the bond belongs to the dragons first. Tairn and Sgaeyl’s relationship is not just a romantic plot device for Violet and Xaden. It is part of dragon law, dragon biology, and the power structure of the Empyrean. Their mating bond affects where they can go, how long they can be apart, and how deeply their riders’ lives become tangled.
Andarna’s Dragon Type and Why She Is Different
Andarna is first introduced as a golden Feathertail, but that label is misleading. Feathertail is not her true dragon breed. It is a juvenile stage that all dragons pass through before they mature, change color, and develop their adult tail type.
For most of Fourth Wing, Andarna looks like an exception because she is the only known golden Feathertail on the Continent and the only young dragon bonded to a rider. But as the series continues, it becomes clear that her difference goes much deeper. Andarna is not part of the six known dragon dens at Basgiath. She belongs to the hidden seventh den: the irids, or iridescent dragons.
That makes her unique on the Continent. Andarna’s egg was left behind when the other irids disappeared, making her the only known dragon of her den still living among Navarre’s dragons.
Onyx Storm changes that. Andarna eventually finds other irids, and they reveal a very different side of dragonkind. Unlike the battle-focused dragons at Basgiath, the irids are peaceful. Many keep their feathertails by choice because they see them as a symbol of peace, not immaturity. That detail completely reframes what readers thought they knew about tail types. A tail is not only biology. For some dragons, it can also reflect choice, identity, and values.
Andarna also proves that dragons do not all relate to bonding and war in the same way. The irids are not simply another color category. They are a hidden branch of dragonkind with their own beliefs, history, and relationship to magic.
Fourth Wing Dragons FAQ
Who are the main dragons in Fourth Wing?
The main dragons in Fourth Wing are Tairn, Andarna, and Sgaeyl. Tairn and Andarna are bonded to Violet Sorrengail, while Sgaeyl is bonded to Xaden Riorson. Other important dragons include Codagh, Feirge, Aotrom, Teine, Deigh, Sliseag, Cath, and Baide.
What dragon does Violet bond with?
Violet bonds with two dragons: Tairneanach, usually called Tairn, and Andarnaurram, usually called Andarna. This makes Violet’s bond extremely unusual, because riders normally bond only one dragon.
What kind of dragon is Tairn?
Tairn is a black Morningstartail dragon. He is one of the largest, strongest, and most feared dragons in the series, second only to Codagh among the known dragons in active service.
What kind of dragon is Andarna?
Andarna is first introduced as a golden Feathertail, but her true nature becomes much more complicated as the series continues. By Onyx Storm, Andarna is tied to the rare seventh breed of dragons, making her one of the most important dragon reveals in the Empyrean series.
What dragon is bonded to Xaden?
Xaden Riorson is bonded to Sgaeyl, a blue Daggertail dragon. Sgaeyl is also Tairn’s mate, which creates a powerful connection between Xaden and Violet through their dragons.
Are Tairn and Sgaeyl mates?
Yes. Tairn and Sgaeyl are mates. Their mating bond is extremely strong and means they cannot be separated for long without consequences. This bond also affects Violet and Xaden because their dragons are permanently connected.
What are the dragon colors in Fourth Wing?
The known dragon colors include black, blue, green, red, orange, and brown. Andarna’s later revelations expand what readers understand about dragon breeds and color categories in the wider Empyrean series.
What are the dragon tail types in Fourth Wing?
The main dragon tail types are Morningstartail, Daggertail, Swordtail, Clubtail, Scorpiontail, and Feathertail. Dragons are usually described by both color and tail type, such as black Morningstartail or blue Daggertail.
Who is the strongest dragon in Fourth Wing?
Codagh is generally treated as the strongest known dragon in active service, while Tairn is one of the most powerful dragons after him. However, Andarna may be the most important dragon in terms of the larger story and the secrets of the Empyrean.
How big are the dragons in Fourth Wing?
The books do not give exact measurements for every dragon, but adult dragons are enormous, battlefield-dominating creatures. Tairn is especially massive and is described as one of the largest dragons on the Continent, with Codagh being larger.
Can dragons choose their riders?
Yes. Dragons choose their riders during Threshing. Riders do not simply claim dragons; dragons decide whether a rider is worthy of the bond.
Do dragons control their riders?
No, but dragons have enormous influence over their riders. The bond allows riders to channel power and communicate with their dragons, but dragons remain independent beings with their own laws, choices, and secrets.
What is the Empyrean?
The Empyrean is the dragons’ own ruling body. It represents dragonkind’s authority and exists separately from human institutions like Basgiath War College or Navarre’s military command.
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